Thunder
by Vanille Strawberry
Summary: Rolf's away, there's a thunderstorm outside-- almost identical to the one on the night her mother died-- and she was about to give birth. It gives Luna a lot to think about really. Post DH


**Disclaimer: I do not own ... oh, you get the picture.**

A/N: A tiny one-shot for my favourite character. Written while listening to the song 'Song for Sophie' Really fits Luna actually. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

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-Thunder-

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It was a horrible evening. Thunder flashed in white forks at the window of Luna's room making her eyes water and her teeth clench. Another searing pain cut into her side as though someone were turning a knife in her flesh. She tried not to cry out, but when the booming thunder rattled the darkness, she yelped and took hold of Rolf's hand. A wild second of panic seized her when she could not feel his familiar shape at her side before remembering that he was away on expedition in New Guinea. This information did not help her, but it did appease her wild beating heart.

Another strike of lighting illuminated the bedroom like the flash of a camera. It bared witness to Luna Scamander unsteadily placing her feet on the hard wood. Her knees shook but remained strong and with small steps, she walked towards the door, leaning her hands against the wall and bed. It was harder to get down the stairs but sliding along her bottom slowly seemed to lessen the pain that walking had caused. Then it was child's play to get from there to the living room where the fire in the fireplace still burned happily.

Luna took a breath as she knelt by it, inhaling the scent of charred wood and coal. It was easier to breathe then for some reason. Taking a handful of Floo powder in the little goblet at her feet, she threw it into the fire.

"Hermione Weasley, Ottery St. Catchpole!" It was the first name that Luna had thought of in that moment. Perhaps the woman's lucidness could aid her tonight.

The flames in the fireplace rose higher and higher before a head, sleepy and dishevelled materialised in a puff of green smoke. Blearily the woman's eyes settled on the cause of her summoning before widening and gasping.

"Luna, are you okay?"

Luna felt tears gather at the question and her lips trembled. "No," she moaned. "I think the baby's coming."

Hermione placed a hand over her mouth and her eyes popped even further out of her skull. She stuttered into her palm before retracting her hand to speak. Luna wished she would hurry up. The pain was increasing more and more the longer she waited. Maybe Hermione's lucidness did not involve childbirth, and if so, that _would _explain why Ron had muttered about his 'crazy wife' after Hermione had kicked him out of the delivery room when she was having Rose.

"Just hold on tight, Luna. I-I'll be right over!" she said. She disappeared from view and Luna whimpered as she was once again left alone in the large empty house. At least having Hermione in view had helped to make her feel sheltered.

Luna crawled to the nearest armchair, Rolf's, and hoisted herself into it. Her legs had betrayed her now and would not do as she told them to. The fire was still burning in little bright embers and the sight made Luna oddly airy and elated. The weight of what was about to transcend tonight made a powerful grin blossom onto her face. She placed a protective hand on her bulging stomach and rubbed it softly to ease the now dull throbbing.

"Won't be long now, baby," Luna whispered, eyes to the ceiling. She winced when another sting washed over her, but she did not stop her hands circular motion. She could feel her baby's distress. "I know that it's a scary night, but we have friends coming to help us."

Luna smiled slightly when she thought of Hermione rounding up essentials for the birth, maybe thinking it was too late to travel to St. Mungo's. And maybe she had contacted other friends to help too. That would be nice. Her baby would be born in a circle of loving people, all happy that he had finally arrived. Luna only wished Rolf could be here too, he had been so excited …

She felt a nudge against her hand at the thought. Luna let out a giggle. "Yes, that's daddy isn't it? I'm afraid he's away in New Guinea at the moment, baby. He's hunting for the Spotted Pityrou. It's a small bird that lives very high up in the trees and feeds on insect larvae. It usually decorates its nest with little gemstones and it can go as fast as a Snidget! Can you imagine that?"

There was no response from her son but that didn't bother Luna. She knew he was resting until the time came for him to come into the world. The thunder cracked outside and Luna reclined deeply into Rolf's chair. She had never liked thunder; it was so loud and frightening. She felt a nudge again, as though the baby was questioning this.

"Thunder storms scare me," Luna explained, "You see, my mummy died during a thunderstorm. It was very late and I got out of bed to go and see why the kitchen was rattling. It's very strange for a kitchen to rattle at night you see, baby. My mummy was experimenting with spells. It was like a hobby for her, and she'd made some very interesting ones that I can teach you maybe." Luna gasped as another contraction hit.

"Th-there was a … flash of lightening," Luna went on breathlessly. "A-and I saw the spell backfire on my mummy. I will always remember the colour of it. A soft green, almost like grass. It was very beautiful," Luna's tone was wistful as she stared at the dying fire. "Then Mummy was lying on the floor and she wasn't moving. I knew she was dead but I still tried to wake her up," Luna's voice seemed to clog then, "The thunder boomed after that and I got scared. I wrapped Mummy's arms around me and I slept the whole night with her until Daddy found us the next morning. He was very sad."

The baby bumped her hand sympathetically. Luna did not even notice it, lost in her own reverie of a time almost forgotten. "Mummy was still warm the next morning. You could have thought she was sleeping."

The front door clanked open with an unearthly force. It made Luna jump in her seat and turn frightfully to the doorway. She could hear voices arguing.

" … would have taken less time to get here if we'd just Floo'ed. But you _had _to forget to buy some more powder!" Luna perked up at the sound of Hermione. "And then it was your bright idea wasn't it, to drive all the way here nearly getting us killed!"

"Oh, shut it, you know Apparating is dangerous in this weather. And you could have remembered to buy some more powder too, you know!" That voice was new, but Luna blossomed into a smile. Ginny had come too. Luna knew she would have. "Luna! Luna, are you here! Luna, honey?"

"In here!" Luna called.

There was some shuffling and shedding of coats, Luna guessed, before Hermione came into the living room followed by Ginny. The two women brightened at the sight of Luna, well and whole wrapped in a loose dressing gown with bunny slippers at her feet.

"Hi, there," Hermione whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"In pain," replied Luna truthfully. "But that's to be expected, isn't it?"

"Too right," said Ginny with a smile. She knelt beside the armchair and took Luna's hand. "Do you feel like going to St. Mungo's?"

Luna nodded. "Yes, I think so. I've said all I need to here."

Hermione and Ginny shared a long glance at this odd comment but shrugged it off and helped Luna to her feet. They walked her slowly to the fireplace and Ginny said she would bring her to the hospital while Hermione went up to gather her things. Once the Potter and Scamander women had vanished, Hermione hurried up the stairs, obliviously passing the photo of a small little girl in the arms of her mother. Both were laughing contentedly in each other's arms.

The thunder could not reach them here.

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A/N: Luna doesn't know she's having twins. You'd just know Hermione would call some back up before entering Luna's home (who knows what could be crawling around in there) and I liked the whole talking to her baby type thing. I hope you enjoyed it :)


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